'It is not worthwhile to be running to Sadc all the time' says Coltart

MDC secretary for legal affairs David Coltart says Zimbabwe is a sovereign state that should solve its domestic problems internally without seeking for solutions from the Southern Africa Developing Community (Sadc).

Addressing the Bulawayo Press Club on Thursday evening, Coltart said the habit of taking domestic disputes to the regional body was embarrassing the country.

His sentiments came ahead of a Sadc Summit in Maputo, Mozambique today, which is set to deliberate on among other things, Zimbabwe's electoral processes.

"We are a sovereign country and I am a proud Zimbabwean. I do not believe that as a nation we should be guided by any outside country in solving our problems," said Coltart, who is also the Minister of Education, Sport, Arts and Culture.

"It is not worthwhile to be running to Sadc all the time. The irony of it is that when we take our problems to them we attract criticism and embarrass ourselves."

Coltart said although Sadc was the facilitator to the Global Political Agreement (GPA), the onus was on Zimbabweans to determine their destiny.

Today's Maputo Summit comes after President Mugabe's proclamation of 31 July as the date for the next harmonised elections in compliance with a Constitutional Court ruling compelling him to do so.

Coltart acknowledged that President Mugabe acted according to the law adding that the Constitutional Court ruling was binding to everyone.
He, however, noted that there was room for parties to go back to the Constitutional Court, not Sadc, to argue their case citing reasons why they feel 31 July is not a feasible date for polls.

"I am not one of those who say we should ignore the Constitutional Court ruling because it is binding. I also do not criticise the content of the ruling.

"The correct procedure in my view would be to go back to the Constitutional Court and say it would be difficult to comply with the ruling," said Coltart.

While the inclusive Government has been fragile, said Coltart, party leaders should work together to ensure that what has been achieved during the transitional period was not destroyed.

President Mugabe set 28 June as the date for the sitting of the Nomination Court to accept presidential, parliamentary and council candidates.

He also invoked the Presidential Powers (Temporary Measures) Act Chapter 10:20 to effect amendments that were adopted by Cabinet on Tuesday to the Electoral Act.

The announcement of the July poll is in compliance with the recent Constitutional Court ruling, which ordered the President to set dates for the poll not later than the end of next month.

Speaking at the same occasion, Bulawayo lawyer Kucaca Phulu said he felt it was incorrect for President Mugabe to make amendments to the Electoral Law outside parliamentary procedures.

He said he felt that judges at the Constitutional Court overlooked certain issues in their adjudication and their ruling was not immune to criticism.
The MDC formations want elections to be held in August.

Preparations for the elections are at an advanced stage with the Zimbabwe Electoral Commission (ZEC) and the Registrar General's Office already carrying out the mandatory intensive voter education and registration in all provinces.